Sun2Surf Speak Up!: Bum Deal on Night Buses

This was the newpaper version I sent to The Star, New Straits Times and The Sun a whiles back. Of all the papers, it’s finally printed in The Sun, which is the hardest to get into!

I originally titled the letter ‘The Beginner’s Guide to Malaysian Interstate Buses.‘ I don’t quite feel that the new designation the papers gave my letter is very descriptive of the overall letter, night buses being only one aspect of our admirable interstate bus system. Nor is it very catchy.

But kudos to The Sun for printing it almost completely word-for-word unedited, my third such letter to make it through the editorial snippers after Religious Pluralism Dogma and Whitewash and The Sun Speak Up!: Beware Fascism In Science.

Thanks especially to Jonathan Chen for informing me of the letter appearing in The Sun. I would probably have missed it otherwise!

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From Sun2Surf Speak Up! 18 May 2007:

Bum deal on night buses
To the tourist or occasional bus user, stepping into a bus station in Malaysia must seem quite daunting. As a frequent user of interstate buses, allow me to advise you on what your travel experience will probably be like.

The buses will be late. Malaysians follow Malaysian time, and the buses even more so. Unless you’re taking a night bus, in which case you might arrive an hour earlier than is possible under the highway speed limit.

You may not get to sleep away the long journey. Other passengers may chat loudly or use their phones on speaker-call mode. Some drivers will turn the music up loud, even on night buses. But I always tell myself, a little discomfort on my part is better than the driver dozing off at the wheel!

You will be lied to. If the ticket tout says the bus is going to leave immediately, and you hurriedly purchase a ticket and rush onto the bus … be prepared to sit around idly as they wait for several more last-minute passengers.

You will be robbed blind during the holiday season. Everyone is taking a bus to their hometown, especially at Hari Raya and Chinese New Year. Expect prices for tickets to as much as double, and be prepared to take whatever bus is available … even off-duty factory and school buses. And if you’re unwilling to put up with all of this, there are plenty other desperates waiting in line. You may be overbooked. Peak passenger times, free seating and overlapping ticket sales may cause you to be bumped to the next bus, or forced to sit in odd places such as on the protruding engine box at the back of the bus.And finally – you will do it all over again. Because this is Malaysia, after all. First-world infrastructure is available only in Putrajaya. Deal with it. Get used to it. Learn the system. We budget travelers have no other choice.

Scott Thong Yu Yuen
Ipoh

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I wrote the letter due to my various bad experiences with interstate buses and their ticketing booths, traversing the highways from Johor Bahru to K.L, and even to Ipoh and Penang for for work, weddings and holidays.

In particular, the worst experience I had was on 9 April 2007. Me and a colleague had intended to return to Johor after working the SmartKids Education Fair at PWTC that weekend. That day was a holiday for JB (but not for KL), and thus the high number of passengers wanting to go back spending their 3-day weekend up north.

The ticketing counters naturally took this chance to up the ticket price, from RM24 at usual times to RM35 on that day.

And since many of the usual (better) bus companies were sold out, we had to settle for a second choice company (which I shall not name).

We were told that the departure time would be at 11.30am, which was one reason we took the tickets instead of waiting for a more trusted (but much later) bus.

Haha! Yeah, we really deserved to be suckered in by forgetting that this is Malaysia! We and the other passengers were instructed by an old uncle to follow him to outside the Pudu bus station. There we waited on one of the road islands.

The bus actually finally pulled up at around noon, I think. And, lo and behold, there wasn’t enough seating for everyone who had tickets! Wow, guess the bus companies are imitating the airline overbooking system in order to rake in more profits, eh!

My colleague got onto that bus, but me and two other guys had to go back to Pudu station and wait for the next available bus, arrival/departure time not stated.

We had a bit of wandering about too, as we had only been told to go and wait at the platform… But had no guarantee the next bus knew we were supposed to hop on, or even what bus type and number plate it was!

In the end, the bus arrived at about 12.30pm. Thankfully, the guide summoned all the awaiting passengers from the platform to the island again. And us three castaway maroons managed to get seats too!

But, as befits such a lovely bedtime story… The bus waited for last minute passengers. The end.

Bocor MPs Make Public Apology to All Women

Here’s the current update on this much talked about happening. The MPs have cheated the blogosphere of hours of flaming fun by unconditionally apologizing. Awwwwww.

                          

Though I doubt that such thips of the slung will not be repeated again, so we just have to be patient and wait for more remarks to bocor out of their mouths! I’d love a YouTube of the actual apology.

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From The Star 19 May 2007:

MPs say sorry

By JANE RITIKOS

KUALA LUMPUR: Nine days after they made their “bocor (leak)” remarks that led to an uproar among women’s groups, the two Members of Parliament finally made a formal apology to all Malaysian women. 

Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin, who made the remarks in Parliament on May 9, and Jasin MP Datuk Mohd Said Yusof who supported him, issued a public apology yesterday to women “who might have been offended” by their words. 

Bung Mokhtar and Mohd Said however maintained that they were merely carrying out their duty as Barisan MPs in defending the Government against “the Opposition’s unfounded claims”. 

In doing so, some of the Barisan MPs might have gone overboard but there was no intention to insult women, said Mohd Said. 

On May 9, during a heated exchange in the Dewan Rakyat with Opposition MPs over the roof leak at Parliament House, Bung Mokhtar had said: “Mana ada bocor? Batu Gajah pun bocor tiap-tiap bulan juga. (Where is the leak? The Batu Gajah MP also leaks every month.)” 

Batu Gajah MP Fong Po Kuan demanded an apology from the MPs the next day. 

Yesterday, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, who held a 40-minute meeting with the two MPs at her office, told reporters that the two men were remorseful and the ministry had accepted their apologies. 

“When I met them, before I could say anything, they raised their hands as if in surrender and said sorry to all women if they had offended them.  

“Because of that, I accepted their apology on the ministry’s behalf with grace. That is the Malaysian way but in no way are we condoning the act,” she said. 

Shahrizat said she conveyed to them her ministry’s stand on such matters. 

“I would like to categorically state that sexism in any form, by words or action, by men or women, whether in Parliament made by elected representatives of both Government and Opposition or indeed anywhere else in this country, is not acceptable. 

“I have in no uncertain terms communicated to the two MPs from Kinabatangan and Jasin the ministry’s unflinching stand on this matter – do not trifle with gender issues.” 

Asked if the two MPs were required to personally apologise to Fong, she said it was up to them. 

“I asked for an open apology and that would include Fong. I am looking at the bigger picture because a lot of women were offended by the remarks,” she said. 

On whether they would be reprimanded, Shahrizat said the two men have already been punished “as the media had gone to town (with the issue)”. 

At a DAP press conference in Petaling Jaya, Fong described the apology as “too little, too late”, LOONG MENG YEE reports. 

Fong said she found the apology meaningless because “it did not come from the heart”. 

“They apologised on Wednesday, but later retracted it. Now, they say sorry to all the women but didn’t specifically mention that they were sorry to have directed the remarks at me. 

“Also, there is no sincerity on their part because they only apologised after being pressured,” she said. 

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And from earlier, The Star 18 May 2007:

MPs make public apology to all women

News Update by The Star Newsdesk

The MPs who made the “bocor” remarks in Parliament made a formal public apology to all women after meeting Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil Friday morning. 

Shahrizat said there is now “closure” with the open apology by Jasin MP Datuk Mohd Said Yusof and Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokthar Radin. 

She added that her Ministry accepts the apology with “grace”. 

“It is up to them to personally and specifically apologise to (Batu Gajah MP) Fong Po Kuan,” she said. 

“I would like to categorically state that sexism in any form, by words or action, by men or women, whether in Parliament made by elected representatives of both Government and Opposition or indeed anywhere else in this country, is not acceptable. 

“I have in no uncertain terms communicated to the two MPs from Kinabatangan and Jasin the Ministry’s unflinching stand on this matter i.e. do not trifle with gender issues. 

“They have offered their sincere apologies and expressed their remorse over what had happened as they said they never intended to offend anybody. 

“As they have tendered their public apology to the women of Malaysia through this Ministry, we must have the grace to accept it with a serious reminder that this kind of episode must never happen again.” 

Related Stories:
Shahrizat to meet with MPs
MP says sorry to women, then retracts his apology
MPs apologise for sexist remarks
Jasin MP denies making ‘bocor’ comment
Group hands over memo to minister, demands apology
Sexist remarks to be brought up to Cabinet

DAP Assemblyman Utters Incredibly Rude Remark That Shocks the Entire Nation to the Core

A DAP assemblyman was immediately ordered out of the assembly after he made a horribly, horribly disrespectful remark against a fellow assemblyman!

Yes folks, in the interest of politeness and class, the DAP assemblyman’s disgraceful request to “jangan kurang ajar” when the BN assemblyman interrupted his speech was rightly shown no leniency at all. This should serve as a lesson to the Opposition to know their proper place!

After all, such as remark was FAR WORSE and MUCH MORE DEMEANING than intuitive observations about the menstrual cycle to female MPs - which, by the way, was not punished during session because it was obviously so mild and inoffensive. Or any number of other not-that-rude things uttered before.

So, obviously again, the strict retribution for grossly and obscenely disrespecting a BN assemblyman was completely justified. After all, we wouldn’t want the public to start thinking the whole system is biased towards the Opposition, now would we?

Meanwhile, the whiny women and Opposition members should quit moping over objective and intelligently thought-out factoids about human biology. The fact that they might have been having those pre-bocor mood swings is no excuse!

(And anyway, most clear cut and inarguable of all, the bocor comments were directed at non-BN, female people. That’s a double case of undeservingness of respect! Why, they ought to be exceedingly grateful that they weren’t given the verbal lashing they truly deserve, all thanks to the big and easily-melted hearts of the BN reps.)

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From The Star 18 May 2007:

DAP rep told to leave assembly over remark

KUCHING: DAP Kota Sentosa assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen was ordered out of the state assembly after he failed to withdraw a “jangan kurang ajar” (don’t be rude) remark levelled at a Barisan Nasional backbencher. 

Chong directed the phrase at Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (BN – Asajaya) when the latter tried to interrupt his speech during the debate on the motion of thanks on the Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin’s address yesterday. 

Speaker Datuk Mohd Asfia Awang Nasar ordered Chong to withdraw the remarks three times but the opposition member did not budge. 

He then ordered Chong out of the House, and the latter walked out. 

The incident was the first for a DAP member in the state assembly. 

Later, five other DAP assemblymen staged a walkout from the House in support of Chong, who said that he had uttered the remarks in a gentle way. 

Asfia had allowed the use of the phrase “jangan kurang ajar” in previous assembly sittings.  

Oh Al Gore, You Are My Hero! I Love You, Take Me Now!

Ugh-O! A smarmy piece of work that constantly praises… Nay, nigh on worships Al Gore as a modern day messiah! (I refuse to give him a capital M.)

The very title gives away the whole Holy Temple of Gore slant of the article by ripping off the title of the film The Last Temptation of Christ

You may shudder with the heebie-jeebies or convulsively vomit as you read the Time magazine writer’s puppy-love inspired bad poetry. Hey, I sound a bit like Ann Coulter! Not bad. My comments in [square brackets].

Please note that my post is a tongue-in-cheek polemic insult piece. Feel free to flame me for any reason you think up through the comments button.

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From Time magazine:

- Let’s say you were dreaming up the perfect stealth candidate for 2008, a Democrat who could step into the presidential race when the party confronts its inevitable doubts about the front runners.

- In other words, you would want someone like Al Gore—the improbably charismatic, Academy Award–winning, Nobel Prize–nominated environmental prophet with an army of followers and huge reserves of political and cultural capital at his command.

- In the face of wrenching disappointment, he showed enormous discipline—waking up every day knowing he came so close, believing the Supreme Court was dead wrong to shut down the Florida recount but never talking about it publicly because he didn’t want Americans to lose faith in their system. That changes a man forever.

- He dedicated himself to a larger cause, doing everything in his power to sound the alarm about the climate crisis, and that decision helped transform the way Americans think about global warming and carried Gore to a new state of grace.

- “If the crib’s on fire, you don’t speculate the baby’s flame retardant! If the crib’s on fire, you save the baby!” [Echh, alarmist bad analogy! I respond to thee, if the crib is not on fire, don't delude yourself that it is and smother the baby to death with an eco-friendly blanket!]

- The place erupted, and Usborne dipped down onto one knee and bowed her head. Her dark hair fell across her eyes and her voice rose. “Please! I’ll vote for you!” she cried above the crowd’s roar, which sounded like a rocket launcher and lasted almost 30 seconds, all but drowning out Gore’s simple, muted, five-word response: “I’m not planning to run.”

- The Assault on Reason will be hailed and condemned as Gore’s return to political combat. But at heart, it is a patient, meticulous examination of how the participatory democracy envisioned by our founders has gone awry—how the American marketplace of ideas has gradually devolved into a home-shopping network of 30-second ads and mall-tested phrases, a huckster’s paradise that sells simulated participation to a public that has all but lost the ability to engage. [One might be forgiven for accurately applying this observation to global warming alarmism.]

- One moment he is lecturing you about something you think you know pretty well, and the next moment he’s making a connection you had never considered. The associative leaps are dazzling…

- Gore hopes that the Internet, which is so good at inviting people back into the conversation, will be the key to restoring American democracy. [How true! If you've noticed, there are plenty of sites online skeptical towards gloabl warming... But seldom anything but alarmism and consensus in the papers and on TV.]

- Gore often compares the climate crisis to the gathering storm of fascism in the 1930s, and he quotes Winston Churchill’s warning that “the era of procrastination” is giving way to “a period of consequences.” To his followers, Gore is Churchill—the leader who sounds the alarm. [How ironic. Michael Crichton also compares global warming consensus science to Churchill and the 1930s... He illuminates the similarities it has to eugenics.]

- There’s an even deeper issue here, and with Gore, it’s always the deepest issue that counts. What’s at stake is not just Gore losing another election. It’s Gore losing himself—returning to politics and, in the process, losing touch with the man he has become.

- The Internet is as big a deal as he said it would be. [You mean, the one that he invented?]

- Global warming is as scary as he had warned. He wasn’t being messianic, as people used to say, just prescient. [If Al Gore wasn't being messianic, well, the writer of this piece sure still treats him like he's messianic.]

- A year passed before they realized what a phenomenon this was becoming. “We were on tour, doing the slide show, and men and women would come up to Al after,” Tipper says. “Silently weeping.” 

- “All the trainees will tell you the same thing,” he says. “That movie changed our lives.” [So, a novel with pages and pages of footnotes and scientific references should not be believed; but a big-time movie with selectively protrayed data is the new training video towards salvation?]

- “Trust me on this. If audiences had an unlimited attention span, I’d be in my second term as President.”

- And then, for the next five hours, Gore walks them through it, slide by slide, deconstructing the art and science, making it clear both how painstakingly well crafted and how scrupulous it is. [The phrase 'well crafted' is usually followed by the word 'lies' or 'fable'.]

- Later, a woman stands up in the back of the big room and asks the Question. “Not to put any pressure on you,” she says, “but, by golly, we deserve a leader like you.” They’ve got one—whether or not he runs. [Maybe they DO deserve a leader like him! Ha!]

- He would adopt a cap-and-trade program that would allow U.S. industry to meet reduction targets in part by trading pollution credits. Critics often dismiss carbon offsets as the green equivalent of religious indulgences, but in fact they stimulate the market—moving entrepreneurs to find dirty plants, clean them up and sell the CO2 reductions. [Well, it doesn't seem to be working in Europe! What were we saying about the 1.5 trillion USD price tag to achieve nothing?]

- “More than half the articles written about global warming that year said it might not even be real.” [This may be the only part I like about the entire love ballad to Al Gore. The rest I just love to hate.]

- He draws from a number of faiths, from philosophy and self-help and poetry and from Gandhi’s concept of truth force, the idea that people have an innate ability to recognize the most powerful truths. [Another trait of new cults - picking and choosing and syncretizing religions all together under the latest saviour of the brain-washed masses.]

- “Obama is rising because he is talking about politics in a way that feels fresh to people … But anyway, I came through all of that”—he waves a hand that seems to encompass everything, the advisers pecking at him, the attacks in the media, his own mistakes, the unspeakable Florida debacle—”and I guess I changed. And now it is easier for me to just let it fly. It’s like they say: What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.” [Or causes serious enough oxygen deprivation to turn him into a brain-dead zombie.]

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I sum it all up in one word:

Eeeewwwwwwwww!

Can someone please get Eric Pooley and Al Gore a room already! No air conditioning either, that’s bad for global climate!

Now please be excusing me while I…

*HURL!*